Pattern transfer of large-scale thin membranes with controllable self-delamination interface for integrated functional systems

Direct transfer of pre-patterned materials strongly benefits realisation of integrated functional systems over conventional fabrication process. Here, the authors demonstrate a self-delamination-driven pattern transfer of a single crystalline silicon thin membrane via well-controlled interfacial design in a liquid media. Direct transfer of pre-patterned device-grade nano-to-microscale materials highly benefits many existing and potential, high performance, heterogeneously integrated functional systems over conventional lithography-based microfabrication. We present, in combined theory and experiment, a self-delamination-driven pattern transfer of a single crystalline silicon thin membrane via well-controlled interfacial design in liquid media. This pattern transfer allows the usage of an intermediate or mediator substrate where both front and back sides of a thin membrane are capable of being integrated with standard lithographical processing, thereby achieving deterministic assembly of the thin membrane into a multi-functional system. Implementations of these capabilities are demonstrated in broad variety of applications ranging from electronics to microelectromechanical systems, wetting and filtration, and metamaterials.

Automated summary

The direct transfer of pre-patterned materials plays a crucial role in the development of high-performance functional systems. By utilizing a self-delamination-driven pattern transfer method, the authors successfully integrated a single crystalline silicon thin membrane into a multi-functional system.